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unblushing from the dregs of life in which I find you； and shake
off the arm of that theatre girl； to come and preach to me。〃
〃If these were the dregs of life I might still speak from them to
counsel you out of my respect and devotion ；Aline。〃 He was very
stiff and stern。 〃But they are not the dregs of life。 Honour and
virtue are possible to a theatre girl； they are impossible to a
lady who sells herself to gratify ambition； who for position； riches；
and a great title barters herself in marriage。〃
She looked at him breathlessly。 Anger turned her pale。 She reached
for the cord。
〃I think I had better let you alight so that you may go back to
practise virtue and honour with your theatre wench。〃
〃You shall not speak so of her； Aline。〃
〃Faith； now we are to have heat on her behalf。 You think I am too
delicate？ You think I should speak of her as a。。。 〃
〃If you must speak of her at all；〃 he interrupted； hotly； 〃you'll
speak of her as my wife。〃
Amazement smothered her anger。 Her pallor deepened。 〃My God！〃 she
said； and looked at him in horror。 And in horror she asked him
presently： 〃You are married … married to that …？〃
〃Not yet。 But I shall be； soon。 And let me tell you that this
girl whom you visit with your ignorant contempt is as good and pure
as you are； Aline。 She has wit and talent which have placed her
where she is and shall carry her a deal farther。 And she has the
womanliness to be guided by natural instincts in the selection of
her mate。〃
She was trembling with passion。 She tugged the cord。
〃You will descend this instant！〃 she told him fiercely。 〃That you
should dare to make a comparison between me and that。。。 〃
〃And my wife…to…be；〃 he interrupted； before she could speak the
infamous word。 He opened the door for himself without waiting for
the footman； and leapt down。 〃My compliments；〃 said he； furiously；
〃to the assassin you are to marry。〃 He slammed the door。 〃Drive
on；〃 he bade the coachman。
The carriage rolled away up the Faubourg Gigan； leaving him standing
where he had alighted； quivering with rage。 Gradually； as he walked
back to the inn； his anger cooled。 Gradually； as he cooled； he
perceived her point of view； and in the end forgave her。 It was not
her fault that she thought as she thought。 Her rearing had been such
as to make her look upon every actress as a trull； just as it had
qualified her calmly to consider the monstrous marriage of convenience
into which she was invited。
He got back to the inn to find the company at table。 Silence fell
when he entered； so suddenly that of necessity it must be supposed he
was himself the subject of the conversation。 Harlequin and Columbine
had spread the tale of this prince in disguise caught up into the
chariot of a princess and carried off by her； and it was a tale that
had lost nothing in the telling。
Climene had been silent and thoughtful； pondering what Columbine had
called this romance of hers。 Clearly her Scaramouche must be vastly
other than he had hitherto appeared； or else that great lady and he
would never have used such familiarity with each other。 Imagining him
no better than he was； Climene had made him her own。 And now she was
to receive the reward of disinterested affection。
Even old Binet's secret hostility towards Andre…Louis melted before
this astounding revelation。 He had pinched his daughter's ear quite
playfully。 〃Ah； ah； trust you to have penetrated his disguise； my
child！〃
She shrank resentfully from that implication。
〃But I did not。 I took him for what he seemed。〃
Her father winked at her very solemnly and laughed。 〃To be sure；
you did。 But like your father； who was once a gentleman； and knows
the ways of gentlemen； you detected in him a subtle something
different from those with whom misfortune has compelled you hitherto
to herd。 You knew as well as I did that he never caught that trick
of haughtiness； that grand air of command； in a lawyer's musty
office； and that his speech had hardly the ring or his thoughts the
complexion of the bourgeois that he pretended to be。 And it was
shrewd of you to have made him yours。 Do you know that I shall be
very proud of you yet； Climene？〃
She moved away without answering。 Her father's oiliness offended
her。 Scaramouche was clearly a great gentleman； an eccentric if you
please； but a man born。 And she was to be his lady。 Her father
must learn to treat her differently。
She looked shyly … with a new shyness … at her lover when he came
into the room where they were dining。 She observed for the first
time that proud carriage of the head； with the chin thrust forward；
that was a trick of his； and she noticed with what a grace he moved
… the grace of one who in youth has had his dancing…masters and
fencing…masters。
It almost hurt her when he flung himself into a chair and exchanged
a quip with Harlequin in the usual manner as with an equal； and it
offended her still more that Harlequin； knowing what he now knew；
should use him with the same unbecoming familiarity。
CHAPTER IX
THE AWAKENING
〃Do you know；〃 said Climene； 〃that I am waiting for the explanation
which I think you owe me？〃
They were alone together； lingering still at the table to which
Andre…Louis had come belatedly； and Andre…Louis was loading himself
a pipe。 Of late … since joining the Binet Troupe … he had acquired
the habit of smoking。 The others had gone； some to take the air
and others； like Binet and Madame； because they felt that it were
discreet to leave those two to the explanations that must pass。 It
was a feeling that Andre…Louis did not share。 He kindled a light
and leisurely applied it to his pipe。 A frown came to settle on
his brow。
〃Explanation？〃 he questioned presently； and looked at her。 〃But on
what score？〃
〃On the score of the deception you have practised on us … on me。〃
〃I have practised none；〃 he assured her。
〃You mean that you have simply kept your own counsel； and that in
silence there is no deception。 But it is deceitful to withhold
facts concerning yourself and your true station from your future
wife。 You should not have pretended to be a simple country lawyer；
which； of course； any one could see that you are not。 It may have
been very romantic； but。。。 Enfin； will you explain？〃
〃I see；〃 he said； and pulled at his pipe。 〃But you are wrong；
Climene。 I have practised no deception。 If there are things about
me that I have not told you； it is that I did not account them of
much importance。 But I have never deceived you by pretending to be
other than I am。 I am neither more nor less than I have
represented myself。〃
This persistence began to annoy her； and the annoyance showed on her
winsome face； coloured her voice。
〃Ha！ And that fine lady of the nobility with whom you are so
intimate； who carried you off in her cabriolet with so little
ceremony towards myself？ What is she to you？〃
〃A sort of sister；〃 said he。
〃A sort of sister！〃 She was indignant。 〃Harlequin foretold that
you would say so； but he was amusing himself。 It was not very
funny。 It is less funny still from you。 She has a name； I suppose；
this sort of sister？〃
〃Certainly she has a name。 She is Mlle。 Aline de Kercadiou； the
niece of Quintin de Kercadiou； Lord of Gavrillac。〃
〃Oho！ That's a sufficiently fine name for your sort of sister。
What sort of sister； my friend？〃
For the first time in their relationship he observed and deplored
the taint of vulgarity； of shrewishness； in her manner。
〃It would have been more accurate in me to have said a sort of
reputed left…handed cousin。〃
〃A reputed left…handed cousin！ And what sort of relationship may
that be？ Faith； you dazzle me with your lucidity。〃
〃It requires to be explained。〃
〃That is what I have been telling you。 But you seem very reluctant
with your explanations。〃
〃Oh； no。 It is only that they are so unimportant。 But be you the
judge。 Her uncle； M。 de Kercadiou； is my godfather； and she and I
have been playmates from infancy as a consequence。 It is popularly
believed in Gavrillac that M。 de Kercadiou is my father。 He has
certainly cared for my rearing from my tenderest years； and it is
entirely owing to him that I was educated at Louis le Grand。 I owe
to him everything that I have … or； rather； everything that I had；
for of my own free will I have cut myself adrift； and to…day I
possess nothing save what I can earn for myself in the theatre or
elsewhere。〃
She sat stunned and pale under that cruel blow to her swelling pride。
Had he told her this but yesterday； it would have made no impression
upon her； it would have mattered not at all； the event of to…day
coming as a sequel would but have enhanced him in her eyes。 But
coming now； after her imagination had woven for him so magnificent a
background； after the rashly assumed discovery of his splendid
identity had made her the envied of all the company； after having
been in her own eyes and theirs enshrined by marriage with him as a
great lady； this disclosure crushed and humiliated her。 Her prince
in disguise was merely the outcast bastard of a country gentleman！
She would be the l